Reunited and it feels so good

 441 days or 1 year, 2 months, and 14 days.
This is the number of days I went without swimming.  How do I know this?  Because the last time I swam was August 28, 2011 at Ironman Canada.



Start of Ironman Canada Swim Leg
Do you see me?





Here I am finishing the swim...it was so much fun!



I swam 2.4 miles that day (well, probably much more because I can't swim a straight line to save my life) and haven't gotten wet since. 
I took a few weeks off after the race to recover, then the holidays hit and then in January I had sinus surgery.  Which sucked.  Really Really Sucked.  anyways, you get the point.  Lots of excuses to not put a swimsuit on over the winter...  and spring...and summer...and fall...
(My one true talent is procrastination)

So on Sunday morning  I was trying to figure out what to do with my two stir crazy boys when the words slipped out of my mouth..."We could go to the pool"  Crap!  did they hear me? 
Yes, the 7 year old did and was all for it.  Well, it's only 9am, maybe he will forget about it by the time the pool is open for public swimming at 2:00.

By 2:00 it is snowing/raining outside and I am freezing.  The last think I want to do is put down my book and leave the warmth of the fire. 

"Hey, Mom, I thought we were going swimming!"
ugh, he remembered.
As my son got ready I had an inner dialog that went something like this:

"I will just watch"
"No stupid, you are going to be at the pool, at least you can do a couple laps!"

"It's too cold to put on a swimsuit"
"Suck it up, loser, two laps won't kill you"

"My race isn't until June, I have plenty of time"
"You gotta start sometime, why not today, since YOU WILL BE AT THE POOL?"

"I will bring my suit and change at the pool"
"Nice try, put it on NOW"


We arrive to the pool and it is crazy loud and packed with bodies.  But I find an empty swim lane, push off and just like that, it is quiet and serene. 
It feels amazing.  I'm gliding silently through the water, nice and relaxed, and Yes!  even passing the older guy in the next lane with ease. 

I swim 100 yards, pause, watch the kids play, swim another 100.  and another, and another.  At one point my son and a few friends jumped in and swam with me.  This is so much fun, I can't believe I didn't want to come here!
After about 30 minutes I start thinking I should call it a day but oh my, this just feels so good .  Just a few more laps...

My Return to Triathlon

 I took a year off from triathlons.  And by "taking a year off"  I mean no swimming and biking at all for the last year. zero, zilch, nada. 

This wasn't really a conscious decision on my part.  It was more of the lazy attitude of "hmm, maybe next week." 
So here I am after 63 weeks of saying "next week!"  wondering  if next week will ever come.

On Halloween day I signed up for the  Pacific Crest Long Course Triathlon thinking, "Now THAT will get me moving."    And yet another 10 days went by and still my bike sits with over a years worth of cobwebs on it. 



There it is, back behind those boxes!



Hmm, maybe I can trick myself into biking by starting out with a fun ride.  Maybe just a little ride on my Granny Bike.  I invite a friend and we plan a day to ride a couple of miles, stop for coffee, ride back. Perfect!  I love my Granny Bike.




I really want to add some pink plastic flowers to my basket :)



On the morning of the planned ride I  am super excited to find the rain has stopped and it is a gorgeous sunny day.  A perfect day for a ride by the bay!  I plan on dropping the kids off at school and be on my way.
I get dressed, find my helmet and gloves, walk downstairs and hear....."Mom, I don't feel good".

Crap.  Maybe next week...

Wordless Wednesday

New Shoes

"I don't wanna run!"

This has been my mantra the last four weeks.  Yes, I think what I have is called burnout.
After training all summer and completing a marathon at the end of September, I have lost all desire to run.  Maybe it's the gray, rainy, dark days, or maybe it's because I don't have another race on the schedule, or possibly just post-race depression, but the fact remains.... I don't wanna run!

So what does a runner do when she loses all motivation?  Buys new gear!  Of course!  What runner doesn't want to go try out something new?

So off to the shoe store I go.  And no more of those heavy, ugly, motion-control shoes for this flat-footed pronator.  I wanted something light and fun....and the most important feature of all....PINK

Aren't they pretty??